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Spinach, Fennel and White Bean Soup in Light Coconut Milk

10 September 2009 16 Comments

It is not yet soup weather here in Seattle, but then again I am not really one of those by-the-season eaters anyway. I can have a nice hearty bowl of soup even when it is 100F outside, provided there is air conditioning inside. This soup was invented out of necessity last week as a quick fix lunch by throwing a bunch of ingredients together from the pantry and the fridge, aren’t all good dishes invented that way? I didn’t have any chicken or vegetable stock in hand, so I used some light coconut milk for the soup base. I think it was the most brilliant idea I’ve had in a while, the coconut milk added a mild sweet flavor to the soup and at the same time it was difficult to tell that the soup had any coconut milk at all! Okay, that statement is confusing! Well, it is kind of hard to explain, but trust me it was one good soup.

Spinach, Fennel and White Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp thinly sliced ginger
1 bulb fennel
2 green chilies, pound to a paste using a mortar and pestle
1 can cooked white beans (Cannellini Beans), drained and rinsed
a large bowl of baby spinach (Use as much as you want)
3/4th can light coconut milk
Salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Cut the leaves and stalks off from the fennel bulb, cut off the base and remove the tough outer layer . Cut the bulb in half, wash well to remove any dirt. Slice the bulb length wise to form thin strips and dice these.

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan and saute the onions, garlic and ginger till the onions are soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add the green chilli paste and diced fennel pieces and saute for 2 minutes. Add the beans and coconut milk and 1/2 cup warm water and bring to a gentle boil. Add the baby spinach, close the sauce pan with a lid and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. If the liquid is too thin, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium and let some of the liquid evaporate till the liquid is slightly thick.

This is a South Beach Diet Phase 1 Friendly soup as coconut milk is allowed in moderation.

SBD Update

If you remember my previous three posts, I was on South Beach Diet Phase 1 to reset my system. Even though phase 1 is meant to be 14 days, I had to stop in 11 days as we went out of town for the long weekend. It is no fun to be on a diet on vacation. I lost 3.8lbs total in phase 1 and after the trip I am on a very lenient phase 2. So no more day-by-day updates, but I will try and post more SBD friendly recipes.

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16 Comments »

Sra said:

I get it, about the coconut milk being there and not there! Nice bowl!

# 10 September 2009 at 10:38 pm

nags said:

omg! the bowl!!! isn’t it from Ikea?

# 11 September 2009 at 12:28 am

Hb said:

That contrast of bowl and the soup and everything about the picture is just awesome!

# 11 September 2009 at 12:55 am

notyet100 said:

soup looks yummy,..

# 11 September 2009 at 1:50 am

Happy Cook said:

Here at home we have a smal cup of soup before lunch everyday.
This looks really yumm, live the addition of coconut mmilk.

# 11 September 2009 at 3:26 am

Soma said:

This is fantastic. I love the coconut milk. I have done one before with coconut milk, but with roasted veggies. The fennel is really lovely & the green chillies.

I LOVE that bowl.. looks very IKEA kind.

# 11 September 2009 at 4:21 am

Lubna Karim said:

Wow…love that combo….looks yum..healthy too…

# 11 September 2009 at 4:36 am

Mamatha said:

I *heart* coconut milk-based soups. But I usually make them Thai-style: coconut milk + Curry Paste + fish sauce + random veggies + meat/fish. Seeing your recipe makes me think CM can be a good substitute for cream in cream-based soups as well.

# 11 September 2009 at 4:44 am

Mamatha said:

Also wanted to add that I love the picture. Something about the bowl and the colors in general make it look very retro.

# 11 September 2009 at 4:47 am

Siri said:

I soup looks very comforting Sig and it is already soup-weather in DC..it is quite rainy & chilly . Have to also add – Nice bowl! there is something warm about that light greenish color I guess!